Direction signal



Jan. 11,1927. 3,931

- w. l CARTER DIRECTION SIGNAL Filed Feb. 19, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet lWilliam/L. gzrter Q/vitmeomzo aria-cums Jan. 11,1927. 3, 31

, W. L. CARTER DIRECTION SIGNAL Filed Feb. 19, 1,926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2mmuumw WU; u comm l. hrzer Patented Jan. 11, 1927.

nnirnn stares WILLIAM L. CARTER, OF WATERLOQ, IGW'A.

DIRECTION SIGNAL.

Application filed February 19, 1926. Serial No. 89,429.

This invention relates to signals, particularly those intended for usein connection with motor vehicles and has for its object the provisionof a novel device adapted to be mounted at a convenient location upon anautomobile or the like and manually operable to apprise the drivers ofother cars, pedestrians, traffic officers and other interested partiesof a contemplated turn or stop so that the others may govern themselvesand their vehicles accordingly to avoid collision, the deviceconsequently acting asa safeguard. and further serving to reducelikelihood of traffic congestion and confusion.

An important-object of the invention is to provide a signal device ofthis character operable to indicate a stop or a turn to either the rightor left.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this characterin which the movable signal member is enclosed within a protectivehousing when in inoperative or normal position, the housing containingilluminating means and being provided with glass covered openings so asto fulfill the functions of a parking lamp, the illuminating meansacting to render the signal member clearly visible when it is moved into30 exposed and operative position.

A further object is to provide a signal device of this type in which thehousing includes a swingably mounted cover or door on which the movablesignal member is mounted, an operative connection being provided betweenthe signal member and the housing whereby the door and, signal memberwill swing simultaneously upon actuation of the control means, the coveror door opening and closing in accordance with actuation of the signal.

A still more specific object is to provide a device of this character inwhich the movable signal member is actuated by a flexible element movedby a lever within convenient reach of the operator, the pulleys aboutwhich the flexible elements are trained being of peculiar shape so as tolengthen or shorten the flexible element in accordance with movement ofthe door or cover carrying the signal member, the flexible element beingconsequently maintained reasonably taut at all times. I

An additional object is to provide a signal device of this characterwhich will be simple and inexpensive to manufacture, easy to install andoperate, neat and attractive in appearance, efficient and durablein'service, and a general improvement in the art.

WVith the above and otherobjects and advantages in view, the inventionpreferably consists in the arrangement and combination of parts and thedetailed structure to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed,and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which: V

Figure 1 is an outside elevation of the device, 7 v I Figure 2 is a.fragmentary vertical section through the side of a vehicle showing thedevice mounted thereon and looking at the rearedge thereof, the partsbeing in inoperative position, 7

Figure 3 is an elevation from the outside of the car looking toward thedevice and showing it in operative or signalling position.

Figure 4.- is a section on the line 44 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a detail cross sectionthrough the device taken onsubstantially the line 5-5 of Figure 1, the parts being in normal orinoperative position. and

Figure 6 is a vertical section through the control or operating device.T

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the letter A desi natesaportion of the side of a motor vehicle at the location where the signaldevice is mounted. It will. be observed that there is no particularindication as to whether the body is of the open or closed type. for thereason that'the invention may be applied to any and all types and at anydesired point. either upon the body. top bow. windshield or other place.

In carrying out the invention I provide a casing or housing 10 of anydesired size,

shape and material. and finished in any suit-- able manner to. have apleasing appearance and to withstand the influence of the weather. Thishousing is located outwardly of the support A and is mounted thereon byany suitable means such, for instance. as tubular members 11 and 12fastened to the housing and passing through the support A, clamping nuts13 being provided for efi'ecting securing to the latter. These tubularmembers have another function which will be brought out hereinafter. Theforward and rear edges or sides of the housing are preferably instancebetween spaced pair of elements 35. Both pulleys are of cam 'orniaformedwith openings 14 covered by glass or other transparent or translucentmaterial 15, the glass in the front being white and the one at the rearbeing red so that the device may act as a parking lamp.

The outer side of the housing is open and normally closed by a door orcover 16 hinged to the forward edge of the housing indicated at 17 Underordinary circumstances this door is closed and protects the mechanism tobe described. The numeral 18 des m nates the movable signal member whichy conveniently be formed as the representation of a human hand, thoughnaturally there is no particular limitation in this respect. This signalmember is carried by a grooved pulley 19, and both are pivoted upon theinner side of the door as by #0 a bolt or other element 20 so as to becapable of swinging in a vertical plane from inoperative to operativeposition, and vice versa. Pivoted at one end within the housing, as upona bracket 21, is a link or arm 22 pivotally connected with the signalmember 18 at a point eccentrically thereof, as shown at 28, so thatswinging movement of the signal member will result in swinging ot' thedoor 16.

Suitably mounted within the housing is a socket or holder 24: for anincandescent lamp 25, which supplies illumination, enabling the deviceto be used as a parking lamp and which also acts to throw light upon thesignal member for rendering it clearly visible at night. The conductingwire or wires 26 for supplying current to the lamp are brought throughthe lower tubular member 12, and of course extend to a suitable sourceof current and control switch, both not shown, will be readily apparent.

For operating the device, I provide manual control means comprising abracket structure 27 mounted on the support A and extending within thevehicle at a convenient point to be reached by the operator. T iisbracket may be attached in any desired manner and carries a fixedlymounted cover 28 having its major portion spaced away from the bracket.Located between the bracket and the cover is a grooved pulley 29 havingan operating handle 30, projecting laterally beyond the bracket andmovable along the space bet-ween the bracket and the cover member. Thispulley is pivoted as upon a bolt 31 or the like, which may also serve tohold the cover 28 in place. ?611Dl161 ally engaged about both pulleys 19and 29 and preferably secured to on thereof, is a flexible member 32which e1 ands through the tubular members 11, and over and under guidepulleys or rollers and 34c respective ly, suitably mounted in the housig for s transve e 1': tion, and are represented as being of elongated orsubstantially elliptical shape and are pivoted somewhat eccentrically asdisclosed in Figures 4: and 6.

ln the operation it will be apparent that under normal circumstances thedoor 16 is closed, and the signal member 18 is confined v-xithin thehousing; If the operator wishes to signal a contemplated stop, it isintended that he grasp the handle 30 and swing it toward the right to apoint where the cover is inscribed with the letter S, it being ob servedthat adjacent this letter. are other letters L and R. Gbviously, anyother indicia might be provided to indicate the ditierent signallingpositions, such details being immaterial. When the handle is thus swungto the right, it is clear that the flexible element 32 will be moved bythe cam pulle r 29 and will correspondingly move the cam pulley 19 whichcarries the signal mem; ber 18. As the cam pulley 19 is turned thesignal member 18 will of course be swung upwardly, while at the sametime its eccentric connection at the point 28 with the link or arm 22will cause the door 16 to swing open. If movement of the handle 30 bestopped opposite the letter S, the door will not be entirely open andthe signal member 18 wi l be inclined slightly downward ly. To signal aturn to the left, the handle 30 is moved somewhat farther and to a pointopposite the letter L, the door being opened and the signal member 18being swung upwardly, as above described, but to a greater extent sothat the signal member will project outwardly in a horizontal position.A contemplated turn to the right is signalled in identically the samemanner, but the handle 30 is moved still farther and to a point oppositethe letter R, the signal member in this instance projecting in anupwardly inclined direction; Obviously the light from the lamp 25 willbe cast upon the i nal member when it is in any of its signal- 0positions, and the signal will consequently be clearly visible even atnight. Quite naturally, in day time there is no necessity for theemployment of the lamp and the current thereto may be cut oft bywhatever switch is provided in the circuit.

After a signal has been given, and it is desired to restore the parts tonormal position, the handle 30 is pushed back into its initial orupright position as indicated in Figure 2, the si nal member 18 ofcourse swinging downwardly and the link or arm 22 acting to draw thedoor into closed position, the door closing at the same time the signalmember comes into registration therewith. A feature of importance is theshape of the cam pulleys 19 and 29 together with their eccentric pivotalmounting. By this part cular arrangement it will be apparent that thestretches of the flexible element between the cams will be lengthened orshortened in accordance with the positionof the door and signal memberso that the flexible element will always be kept taut and prevented fromsagging or slacking, while at the same time there will be no binding.

WVhile I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of theinvention it should be understood that the disclosure is merelyillustrative of a convenient and suitable arrangement, and that theright is re served to make all such changes in the construction andcombination as will widen the field of utility and adaptability of theinvention provided such variations constitute no departure from thespirit of the invention or the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

Having thus described the invention I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, a housing adapted to bemounted upon the side of a Vehicle, the housing being equipped at itsouter side with a horizontally swingable hinged door, a signal memberpivotally mounted on said door for movement in a vertical plane, andmeans located within the vehicle for simultaneously swinging the doorhorizontally and the signal member vertically.

2. In a device of the character described, a housing adapted to bemounted upon the side of a vehicle, the housing being equipped at itsouter side with a horizontally swingable hinged door, a signal memberpivotally mounted on said door for movement in-a vertical plane, meanslocated within the vehicle for simultaneously swinging the doorhorizontally and the signal member vertically including a puley on thesignal member, 21 second pulley having a handle for moving the same, anda flexible element trained about both pulleys.

3. In a device of the character described. a housing adapted to bemounted upon the side of a vehicle, the housing being equipped at itsouter side with a horizontally swingable hinged door, a single memberpivotally mounted on said door for movement in a vertical plane, meanslocated within the vehicle for simultaneously swinging the doorhorizontally and the signal member vertically including a pulley on thesignal member, a second pulley having a handle for moving the same, anda flexible element trained about both pulleys, both pulleys being of camformation and eeeentrically pivoted whereby the flexible element will beautomatically shortened or lengthened in accordance with the position ofthe door and signal member.

l. In a signal device of the character described, a housing, means formounting the same upon the side of a vehicle, the outer side of thehousing being open and provided with a hinged door swingablehorizontally, a signal member pivot-ed on the inner surface 0f the doorand swingable vertically, a pulley carried by the sinal member at itspivot, a bracket structure mounted within the vehicle, a pulleyrotatably mounted on the bracket str cture and having anioperatinghandle, guide elements within the housing, a flex ble elementperipherally engaging the pulleys and said guide elements. and meansconnected with the housing and the signal member for moving said doorinaccordance withmovement of the signal member.

' In a signal device of the character described, a housing, means formounting the same upon the side of a vehicle, the outer side of thehousing being open and provided with a hinged door swingablehorizontally, a. signal member pivoted on the inner surface of the doorand swingable vertically, a pulley carried by the signal member at itspivot, a bracket structure mounted within tie vehicle, a pulleyrotatably mounted on the bracket structure and having an operatinghandle, guide elements within the housing, a flexible elementperipherally engaging the pulleys and said guide elements, and meansconnected with the housing and the signal member for moving-said door inaccordance with movement of the signal member, said means comprising alink pivotally mounted at one end within the housing and having itsother end pivotally connected with the signal member at a point spacedfrom the pivot thereof,

6. In a signal device of the character de scribed, a housing, means formounting the same upon the side of a vehicle, the outer side of thehousing being open and provided with a hinged door swingablehorizontally, a signal member pivoted on the inner surface of the doorand swingable vertically, a pulley carried by the signal member at itspivot, a bracket structure'mounted Within the vehicle, a pulleyrotatably mounted on the bracket structure and having an operatinghandle, guide elements within the housing, a flexible elementperipherally engaging the pulleys and said guide elements, meansconnected with the housing and the signal member for moving said door inac: cordance with movement of the signal memher, and means forautomatically shortening or lengthening the stretches of the flexibleelement between the pulleys in accordance with the position of the doorand signal member.

7. In a signal device of the character de scribed, a housing, means formounting the same upon the side of a vehicle, the outer side of thehousing being open and provided with a hinged door swingablehorizontally, a signal member pivoted on the inner surface of the doorand swingable vertically, a pul ley carried by the signal member at itspivot, a bracket structure mounted within the vehiole, a pulleyrotatably mounted on the bracket structure and having an operatinghandle, guide elements Within the housing, a flexible elementperipherally engaging the pulleys and said guide elements, and meansconnected with the housing and the signal memher for moving said door inaccordance with movement of the signal member, both pulleys being ofsubstantially elliptical shape, correspondingly arranged andeccentric-ally pivoted for shortening or lengthening the 15 a housingadapted to be mounted upon the side of a vehicle, the housing beingequipped at its outer side With a horizontally swingable hinged door, asignal member pivotally mounted on said door for movement in a verticalplane, and means located Within the vehicle for simultaneously swingingthe door horizontally and the signal member vertically and illuminatingmeans Within the easing for casting light upon the signal member When inoperative position.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have heretoafiixed my signature.

VILLIAM L. CARTER.

